For those of you on Technet
or MSDN,
the download for Windows 7 RTM Editions were available at
approximately 1300 EST on Thursday, August 6. Download speeds
crawled from the 700KB/sec range down to the 250KB/sec range for most
of the afternoon. The speed should get better as early downloaders
drop off. The download of the 64-bit edition weighs in at a hefty
3075.3 MB with the 32-bit edition following closely at 2385.99 MB.
All DVD's of Windows 7 are exactly the same with the exception of the
Enterprise Edition, just as with Windows Vista.

The
installation of Windows 7 RTM is just as before, but seems to be much
quicker at expanding the files than the RC was. It might just be
perception but it took less time to install on a 1TB drive than last
time. There are just the standard network, and date/time prompts from
before to contend with before we are greeted with our shiny new
desktop. For the RTM release Microsoft has added the windows logo to
the previous wallpaper we had during the RC. The one with the blue
background and a few ribbons with leaves on them.

Performance
seems to be on par with the RC, and in general right in line with
what we have come to expect from Windows 7. Unfortunately my hope
that the new Windows Anti-Virus being included in the RTM seems to be
for nothing. There is no antivirus included with the RTM release, and
we are left with the button to search the web for providers with
confirmed Windows 7 compatible releases. Microsoft handily has
compiled a list of most of the major providers and a few less well
known providers of AV solutions on a single page. Clicking on any of
them will take you to the corresponding vendor product. By the time
Windows 7 hits store shelves we should hopefully see the AV solution
from Microsoft if they stay on schedule.

As with Vista,
Windows 7 RTM comes with a massive quantity of drivers, and the
ability to pull more from the Windows Update servers. The selection
pulled down from Windows Update also seems to be considerably larger
than we had with the Beta and RC builds of Windows 7.

Windows
7 RTM also brings changes to the RDP 7 service. While some pieces
still utilize client-side processing for visual rendering, many
others are now host-side once more and could potentially put a strain
on systems already pushing the upper limits of their maximum
capacity. On the positive side this should help thin client based
solutions by not requiring any new graphics capability to take
advantage of some of the newer features found in Windows 7 or Server
2008.

The only other changes are within the optional XP
Mode RC that came out on the same day, Jason Mick has already covered
the details here.

"We are going to continue to work with them to make sure they understand the reality of the Internet. A lot of these people don't have Ph.Ds, and they don't have a degree in computer science." -- RIM co-CEO Michael Lazaridis